Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety gear that can be used with a protective helmet. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an improved rear view mirror attachment for protective helmets. The helmet mirror is designed to securely fasten to the helmet so that it does not to move, rattle or fall off while in use.
There are many great reasons to ride a bicycle; it is a healthy and fun exercise, while also being an environmentally friendly means to commute. However, a bicycle safety is more than just riding with a helmet. There are certain practices that promote a safe environment and prevent injury to bicyclists and others. These safety procedures are often geared towards both bicyclists and vehicle drivers that share the road. Bicyclists need to ride in a predictable manner and take important steps to ensure their own safety as well as others.
One compulsory skill among bicyclists is to be constantly vigilant of his or her own surroundings. For example, one such learnt skill is the ability to see traffic approaching from behind, while keeping one's eyes forward, which is a significant safety measure. Just like driving a vehicle, peripheral vision and awareness are key safety measures while operating a bicycle. However, frequently glancing behind removes one's eyes temporarily from the road directly in front. Especially with someone who is not comfortable with taking backward glances, such an act can easily lead to accidents and collisions.
Additionally, looking to the rear for incoming traffic can cause a rider to swerve and cause an accident. The rider may miss a patch of uneven pavement or a pothole up ahead while taking backward glances, which may also be a potential hazard. A mirror, then, can be an essential piece of equipment for anyone traveling by bike.
The present invention provides a rear view mirror attachment that can be used with an existing protective helmet. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises an adjustable arm having a bracket and a mirror attached thereto, wherein the mirror is attached to the arm via an adjustment nut. The bracket and adjustable arm are rubber-coated and are composed of bendable metal. The adjustable arm can be bent to align the mirror into the desired position. Further, the adjustment nut is used to change and lock the mirror at the desired angle. In some embodiments, the mirror comprises a decorative backing. In operation, the bracket is adapted to removably attach to the rim of a standard bicycle helmet at the front portion thereof, near the wearer's eyes. Accordingly, the adjustable arm can extend outward from the helmet, so as to support the mirror in front of the user. In this way, the present invention increases peripheral vision for a bicyclist.
Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to rear view mirrors attachable to a helmet. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. Some of these devices disclose structures that secure to the curved exterior surface of a protective headgear. Other devices disclose clamps that secure a rear view mirror to a helmet. These devices, however, do not disclose a rubber-coated bracket that removably secures to the bottom foam shell of a standard bicycle helmet. The foregoing is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,701 to Greenlaw discloses a rear view mirror for securement to a protective headgear. The Greenlaw device includes an extension bar having a holder for a rear view mirror mounted on one end of the bar. An adjustable connection is provided between the extension bar and the mirror, which includes a ball formed on a first end and a receptacle formed on the peripheral edge of the mirror holder. A second end of the extension bar is a flat malleable plastic fan-like structure, which can be secured to the protective headgear via adhesives.
The present invention is structurally different than the foregoing Greenlaw device in that the present invention can be removably attached to an existing protective helmet without the use of adhesives. The present invention has a rubber-coated bracket that secures to the bottom foam shell of a standard bicycle helmet. In addition, the adjustable arm is bendable so that the mirror can be moved closer or away from the helmet. The mirror can be further adjusted via an adjustment nut, which allows the mirror to pivot horizontally, thereby securing the mirror at a desired angle. On the other hand, the Greenlaw device comprises a fan-like structure that adheres to the curve of the exterior of a helmet. Greenlaw also discloses a ball connection rather than an adjustment nut.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,156,575 to Tronvig focuses on headwear with rear viewing capability which includes: a recess; a base rigidly coupled to the helmet structure; and a mirror coupled to the base. The mirror is movable between a deployed configuration and a stored configuration in which the mirror is proximate the size of the recess. Similarly, U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2006/0026741 by Lang-Ree generally relates to a system for accommodating helmet accessories. One embodiment has a mirror attachment for a helmet. The helmet has a visor that defines a recess. The mirror attachment includes a base operable to be nested substantially within the recess of the base and coupled to the visor. The mirror is operable to move between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration.
The foregoing devices relate to a headwear with a recess having a mirror. Thus, Tronvig and Lang-Ree are limited in the fact that the mirror is integrally formed within the recess. In contrast, the present invention comprises a mirror that is held away from the protective helmet on which it is mounted, wherein the mirror is mounted via a bracket that can be secured to the bottom foam shell of the helmet. Thereafter, the location of the mirror can be adjusted by means of an adjustable arm, which can be bent in any direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,246 to Binner is a rear view mirror with slit clip attachment. In one embodiment, the rear view mirror is attached to a helmet by a pair of arms that include a ball-and-socket joint. Unlike the present invention, however, Binner does not disclose a bracket that attaches to a helmet. The present device uses a bracket to attach to the bottom foam shell of a helmet. The present device also comprises a bendable arm and an adjustment nut to secure the mirror in a desired position. The arm and the adjustable nut allow for a greater range of maneuverability compared to the rigid ball-and-socket in the joint of the Binner device.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D284462 to Greenlaw discloses a rear view mirror for attachment to a crash helmet. The attachment includes a proximal end that includes a clamp, and a distal end that includes a mirror. The clamp engages a portion of the helmet and secures thereto. Additionally, U.S. Design Pat. No. D389605 to Berke discloses a helmet with two optical elements affixed to the left and right curves of the helmet. These devices, however, do not disclose a bracket that attaches to the bottom foam shell of the helmet, the bendable arm that positions the mirror, and the adjustment nut that adjusts the angle of the mirror.
Finally, U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2012/0314317 to Anderson is related to a headgear accessory attachment system with a rear view mirror. The system includes a flexible, resilient halo band that is attachable to the sides of the headgear and that extends radially around the front of the headgear across the field of view. The rear view mirror is attached to the halo band and slides along the halo band to the desired orientation. The purpose and design of the present invention differs from the device of Anderson in that the present invention does not comprise a halo band. Instead, the current device comprises a bracket that can secure to the bottom foam shell of the helmet. Additionally, the present invention comprises an adjustable arm that can be bent into the desired orientation, and an adjustment nut that secures the rear view mirror at a desired angle.
The devices disclosed in the prior art have several known drawbacks. These devices generally comprise a mirror is integrally formed with the helmet, such that the mirror can be used with a specific type of a helmet. Additionally, the prior art devices include a mirror that is limited in its range of movement. The present invention overcomes these limitations by disclosing a helmet mirror having a bracket that securely and removably attaches to the foam under-shell of a helmet, such that the mirror does not extensively rattle or shake during use. In this way, the images reflected in the mirror are not distorted. Additionally, the mirror can be adjusted in any direction and in any angle via an adjustable arm and an adjustment nut. It is therefore submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing options for helmet mirrors for cyclists. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.